Welcome to TCF.

Feb 23 Barre Believer

How many of you get tired of your normal workout regimen and want to mix things up from time to time? That's how I've been feeling lately. I've heard a lot about barre and have been wanting to try it for a while.

This being the small community that it is, I realized that the mother of one of my soccer players is a barre instructor at Tenley Studio and she listed me as her plus one for a month! So that means I get a free month of unlimited classes at Tenley!! Which is so generous and has been amazing, let me tell you.

I should preface this by letting you guys know that being a former soccer player, my main focus when I workout is pretty much cardio and core; I really don't do much else. I used to dance some when I was in middle-school, and I've taken a few yoga classes since college...but that's pretty much the extent of my venturing out into different workout styles. I went to my first barre class a couple weeks ago and have been to several more since then. I am LOVING it!!! I had heard from a couple different people that it was hard, and they weren't lying! It is tough, but it's a great kind of tough. I have been working out regularly for the past month or so and consider myself to be in pretty good shape in general....and yet, after my first barre class I was more sore than I have been in years! Like my arms were freaking jello.

Before I go more into the class, I want to talk about Tenley Studio a little. It's so cute!!! You can see from the couple of pictures I've posted below. I've met several members of the staff, including the owner, Kristen Raisor Jones, and everyone has been incredibly welcoming. Sometimes going to a new studio or trying a new workout class can be intimidating at first, but that couldn't be further from the case at Tenley. I felt like they went out of their way to make me feel comfortable...that's amazing.

On to the class itself. I am someone who likes to "feel the burn" if you will, so the fact that I was so sore has me hooked. I'm trying to think of the best way to describe the class. It's likes a series of semi-static movements that utilize your body weight for strengthening your whole body. My arms have been the sorest, but I think that's because my upper-body is pretty weak. I know I've mentioned several times already that it's tough, but please don't let that discourage you. I think that people with different fitness levels could definitely do it. In the classes I've been to so far, the age of attendees has ranged from high school all the way up to retirees. I think that's another appealing thing to me about barre, it's great for everyone! I keep telling Greg that he needs to come to a class with me because he would really like it.

I hope that gives you a good idea of what to expect from barre. I highly encourage you to try out class in your area if you are tired of your normal workouts and want to mix it up! I've been going for 3 weeks and I can already tell a difference in my arms! Seriously. And if you're in the Lafayette area, you should check out Tenley! They offer all sorts of classes from barre, to yoga, to ballet and even boxing. Right now they even have a spring break special going on where you can get 5 classes for $45 or 10 classes for $90! That's a great deal!!